The Presbyters Project

Canon 1

De his qui altario ministrant, ut a sanguine omni se abstineant.

De his clericis qui in obsessionis necessitate positi fuerint, id statutum est, ut qui altario ministrant et Christi sanguinem tradunt uel uasa sacro officio deputata contractant, ut ab omni humano sanguine etiam hostili abstineant. Quod si in hoc inciderint, duobus annis tam officio quam conmunione priuentur, ita ut his duobus annis uigiliis, ieiuniis, orationibus et elemosinis pro uiribus quas Dominus donauerit, expientur; et ita demum officio uel conmunioni reddantur, ea tamen ratione, ne ulterius ad officia potiora promoueantur. Quod si infra praefinitum tempus neglegentiores circa salutem suam exstiterint, protelandi ipsius poenitentiae tempus in potestate maneat sacerdotis.

(eds. Martínez Díez, Rodríguez 1984: 299-300)

Canon 1

On the servants of the altar that they shall not shed blood

In regard to the clerics who happen to be in a besieged city, it is ordered that those who serve the altar and distribute the blood of Christ or touch the vessels for the holy service, may not shed human blood, even of an enemy. If, however, they do so, they should be excluded for two years from the office as well as from the communion. If they atone according to the strength the Lord gave them with vigils, fasts, prayers and almsgiving, they can be restored to their office and communion, provided that they are not promoted to the higher offices. But if they turn out to be negligent of their salvation during the prescribed time, the prolongment of their penance depends on the decision of the bishop (sacerdotis).

(trans. by M. Szada)

Place of event:

Region

Iberian Peninsula

City

Lerida

About the source:

Title: Council of Lerida 546, Concilium Ilerdense a. 546
Origin: Lerida (Iberian Peninsula)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

The date of the council is given in two different ways - the first is a date in the Spanish era which began in 38 BC, the second is a date according to the years of the reign of Theoderic. In the case of the council of Lerida the dates do not agree - year 584 in the Spanish era is AD 546 and the 15th year of the reign of Theoderic is AD 525. The other provincial council held in Valencia was also dated to the 15th year of Theoderic, but the date in the Spanish era there is 587 (so AD 549). The scholars assumed that the name of the ruler was corrupt in the manuscript tradition and they proposed that we should read Theudis. King Theudis began to reign in AD 531, so the 15th year of his reign would be AD 546 (with references to the early modern commentators Hefele 1895: 132; Orlandis, Ramos-Lissón 1986: 124-131).

Edition:

Editions:

J. Vives ed., Concilios visigóticos e hispano-romanos, Barcelona-Madrid 1963.

G. Martínez Díez, F. Rodríguez eds., La colección canónica Hispana, Monumenta Hispaniae sacra. Serie canónica 5, Madrid 1966.

Bibliography:

C.J. Hefele, A History of the Councils of the Church from the Original Documents, v. 4, trans. by W.R. Clark, Edinburgh 1895.

M. Guallar Pérez, Los concilios tarraconenses celebrados en Lérida, (siglos VI-XV), Lérida 1975.

J. Orlandis, D. Ramos-Lissón, Historia de los concilios de la España romana y visigoda, Pamplona 1986.

Categories:

Described by a title - Clericus

Impediments or requisits for the office - Improper/Immoral behaviour

Ritual activity - Eucharist

Public functions and offices after ordination - Military activity

Conflict

Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior

Further ecclesiastical career - None

Administration of justice - Ecclesiastical

Devotion - Vigils

Devotion - Fasting

Pastoral activity - Helping the poor and needy

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER209, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=209